Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to apparatus for cleaning footwear, tires and the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a container adapted to hold a fluid for facilitating cleaning and removal of undesirable material from shoes, boots, etc. and/or bicycle tires. More specifically still, the invention may be particularly suited to removing frozen material such as snow and ice and associated grit, sand, salt, etc., as might commonly be collected on footwear and/or tires in a cold, snowy climate.
Description of the Related Art
It may be desirable in various environments to clean items used outside upon return inside. In particular, with respect to footwear, various boot and shoe cleaners are known in the art. Many of these involve complex mechanical devices operating under electrical power. U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,269 to Openshaw et al. describes an electrically powered boot and shoe cleaner having a platform having scraper elements and fixed brushes at its sides, over a container of water having a motorized rotating brush. The rotating brush cleans the bottom of a sole, while the fixed brushes clean the sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,212 to Watts, recognizing the desire to obviate the need for an electrical power supply, describes a boot cleaning device having a base including a pair of cleaning pads and a rotating cleaning assembly. Rather than electricity, the assembly rotates under the power of a connected water supply acting against an impeller attached to the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,288 to Hackett describes a shoe sole cleaner box having high pile, thick tufted carpet on a base, for cleaning and drying shoes by a passing wearer, without the wearer removing her shoes.
The novel cleaning apparatus of the invention described herein may offer various benefits and conveniences to users, depending on a particular embodiment and application.